The 2FA system will replace the flawed security questions that often rely on information about people that is publicly available, such as where they went to school.

However, the new system will not prevent children from spending large amounts of money on devices where they already have the password, according to the Guardian. This can be prevented only by changing settings on the device.

The weakness in single password security was highlighted last year when hackers accessed several online accounts of journalist Mat Honan, after guessing his Apple email and resetting his password.

Apple said: “Apple takes customer privacy very seriously and two-step verification is an even more robust process to ensure our users’ data remains protected. We are now offering our users the choice to take advantage of this additional layer of security.”

The service will initially be available only in the US, UK, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand.

from http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240179992/Apple-debuts-two-factor-authentication-to-protect-against-hackers